Old Friend of the Family
by Muted Hilarnes
Summary: When Yuki is forced to see Akito, he runs into an old "friend" of the family he hasn't seen in years; Y? K
1. Akito summons

Disclaimer: I do not own Fruit Baskets or the characters I'm abusing in this story. I get no money (the more's my grief). If you intend to sue, all I can give you is a Snickers wrapper and an overdo term paper. Oh, you don't think the Snicker's company is going to sue me now, do you??? :-( Lastly, the words are mine. Please don't take them from me!   
  
The little girl shifted, feeling her silk kimono smooth against her heels. Her hair fell around her face, hiding her _expression from the world. The hallway of the grand main house was dark with night. Sounds from the bedroom were beginning to frighten her, she was sure the man was hurting Mommy! But, Mommy had said the sounds were good sounds. They were sounds of money and good food and shelter and nice clothes. She loved her mommy but she hated going to work with her.   
*********  
  
Yuki glanced in the mirror and straightened his tie. He could hear Kyou stomping down the staircase and in the back of his mind rolled the words around, "stupid cat, stupid cat, stupid cat." He pressed his forehead against the glass and shut his eyes, sighing.  
"Yuki-kun? Breakfast!" Tohru was cheerful as ever. The thought of her suddenly sent a warmth to his legs. It bothered him, though, these new and intense sensations. It was pleasure and longing like he'd never felt before. Never experienced until these recent months.  
Was it love? Did he love Tohru? No, he was too young, right? Right? Who falls in love, finds their soul mate at sixteen? Then, was it just hormones? That seemed too simple to fit, too short in the sleeves and to add to that, he didn't like the thought. He sighed. It was too early to be this confused and his morning stupor still held a heavy grip on his brain.  
"Yuki-kun?" She was at his door now. "Yuki-kun, are you feeling well?" He opened the door. Her large eyes were filled with concern, her open face plainly revealing her every emotion. His smile was soft as he let himself swim in her azure gaze.  
"I'm fine."   
*********  
  
Shigura kneeled at the table where everyone else was already eating. They looked up, only to find the usual laughing _expression sobered.  
"Yuki-" The Dog started, paused, and began again. "Yuki, Akito wishes to see you this afternoon."  
There was a long silence. Yuki stared at Shigura, trembling, his lips moving but there were no words. His chopsticks clattered onto his plate. Kyou looked at him, concerned for the Mouse in spite of himself. Tohru gasped, unsure how to comfort Yuki, how to protect him from this.  
"N-no," Yuki stuttered. It was one thing to go with Shigura and Kyou to the Main House. It was one thing to go with others. But he knew that Akito was asking him to come alone and that was something completely different. No, Akito wasn't asking, he never asked. He was demanding Yuki come alone. "No," he said, a little bit firmer.  
Shigura shook his head and turned his eyes to the table. "It's unavoidable."  
"NO!" Yuki shouted. He stood up, but he wasn't sure which to choose, fight or flight. I came here to get away, he thought, I'm not going back there, I came here to get away from him! From that room!  
Tohru finally decided to go with her instincts. She placed her hand gently on top of Yukis but he didn't seem to feel her, he didn't respond. It was as if his body was slowly going numb.  
"You must." Shigura's face had never been so serious. You have to face him, Yuki.  
"Please," he whispered, almost to himself, "please don't ask me." His grey hair covered his eyes, his head was bowed, already accepting his defeat.  
If I could, Yuki, Shigura thought, frowning, if I could take that pain. Make it better. "You can't keep hiding, he gently advised his cousin. Yuki nodded. "You have to go, Yuki." 


	2. Meetings

Yuki kneeled in the dark room. The only light came through the open sliding door. He could feel a breeze pass across his face and he longed to stretch his aching legs in the bright afternoon sun. Akito was on the porch. Yuki could see was his long, thin legs. Akito's kimono rustled as he stood up and entered the room.  
  
A woman followed the head of the Souma family. She was voluptuous, her brilliant red kimono slipping down her shoulders, almost revealing her bosoms. Crimson flashed in her gray eyes. Fine lines around her full mouth and startling eyes gave her a look of sophistication but took nothing away from her seduction. She winked at Yuki and licked her lips. Akito saw and slapped her hard, grabbing her hair before she could fall.  
  
"Whore! How dare you!"  
  
She let a mask of fear fall on her face but it was only an act. She feared nothing, not this boy so near death, not her own death. But she was required to give any member of the Souma family exactly what they wanted. And fear was what Akito desired most.  
  
Yuki had flinched at the sudden violence. Not from surprise but from revulsion. Akito let go of the geisha and took Yuki's chin, forcing the boy to look up.  
  
"Did you want her, Yuki?" he said in that patronizing way he had of talking to his cousin. "Would you like her? I'm finished with her for now."  
  
Yuki only stared, trembling, unsure what was the correct answer, the answer Akito wanted. Akito pinched Yuki's chin and waved the woman away. When she had left, he stroked Yuki's cheek in a way that might have been tender.  
  
"Dear Yuki. Are you saving yourself for Honda-kun?" He said her name the same way he had said "whore" to the older woman. Yuki clenched his teeth but remained silent. "Now, Yuki. Let's have one of our talks. We haven't had one in such a long time." Akito smirked as he perched himself on a bench. "I've missed you."  
  
****  
  
"Oh, I hate that brat!"  
  
"What, Mama?"  
  
"Oh, nothing, sweetie." Kohaku ran her fingers through her long hair and turned to her daughter who was slipping out of her kimeno and into a pair of cutoff shorts. She admired the long tan legs of her child that slid through shorts. A moment of regret seized her heart but was dropped quickly. Kohaku refused to be weighed down, even by emotion. "Where are you going?"  
  
Midori turned to her mother as she finished dressing. She grinned. "I have permission to go shopping this afternoon."   
  
Kohaku clapped her hands together. "Are you buying a birthday gift for a certain special Mama? Hmm, my lovely Jade?"  
  
Spinning in a circling and leaping from the room, Midori replied, "What makes you think that, my vain mother?"  
  
Midori heard her mother calling after her, "Rose oil would be nice! Or something sweet smelling!"  
  
*******  
  
Tohru hummed softly to herself as she glanced around the supermarket, finding things for dinner and some things to use in dinners the rest of the week. She paused at a row of fruits. The oranges looked particularly nice. Kyon-kun might like them.  
  
"E-excuse me? Ma'am?"  
  
Turning, Tohru almost dropped her basket. A pair of eyes the color of polished jade, emphasized by the green button up shirt, stared at her under thick strands of black hair.   
  
"Y-yes?"  
  
"You're, um, standing on my foot."  
  
Tohru leapt back, waving her arms crazily in front of her. "OH! I'm so sorry! Sorry! I'm so stupid!" She banged her head with her fist.  
  
The girl stared for a second but then smiled and tilted her head. "You're not at all stupid. It could happen to anyone."  
  
"But," Tohru pointed at the girl's feet, "you're wearing sandals. It must have hurt."  
  
The girl blushed. "Well, yes and it was for a few minutes."  
  
"Aaaahh!!" Tohru began to wave her arms around again. "I'm so sorry! I'm so sorry!" The girl's laughter stopped her.  
  
"You remind me of someone I know."  
  
"Oh?" Tohru smiled. A few people I know, too! "I'm Honda Tohru."  
  
"I'm...did you say Honda Tohru?"  
  
"Mmm." Tohru nodded happily. The girl suddenly appeared frightened and she bowed her head. "Is something wrong?"  
  
"Ah...no." The girl looked up. "I'm...Aya Midori." 


	3. Friend of the Family

Tohru slipped her shoes off and sighed as she slid her feet into a pair of soft slippers. 'They were Mama's', she thought. Turning, she found her guest shifting her weight and fidgeting with her hands. The young girl's head was bowed in a submissive way and her shoulders trembled.  
  
"Aya-kun? Is something wrong?"  
  
Midori looked up and bit her full, pink bottom lip. "I-I shouldn't be here. I'm sorry, I have to-"  
  
Tohru interrupted. "No, no! The Souma's aren't here tonight." Her smile was warm. "I hate to eat alone, I'm so happy I made a new friend!"  
  
In spite of herself, Midori returned Tohru's contagious grin. "I can't stay long. I'm not allowed out too long."  
  
'What strict parents,' Tohru thought. But she was relieved to have the company, at least for a little while. Even though Yuki had to see Akito by himself, the others had gone to visit their family. Kyou had disappeared after school so Tohru assumed he had also gone to the main house.   
  
Yet...was that the television? Midori seemed to hear the sound at the same time as Tohru for her body suddenly went very stiff. Tohru ran into the living room and jumped with joy.  
  
"Everyone's home!" The Dog, the Cat, the Mouse, and the Seahorse all looked up. At her cry, the Rabbit had immediately raced toward her, only to find his shirt in the firm grip of the Cat.  
  
"Don't do that," Kyou snarled.  
  
"Oh," Tohru suddenly remembered, "but if you are all home then..."  
  
Yuki sat in the corner, his knees at his chest, his forehead resting on his knees. He glanced at Tohru and attempted a grin. His bangs fell lightly over a tiny band aide at his temple. Shigure cleared his throat and held a finger up, as if to begin a lecture.  
  
"We got done early and thought how lonely and frightened you would be without all of us in this giant house where bad people might come and do-", his eyes narrowed further and he whispered, "…unspeakable things."  
  
Yuki and Kyou both elbowed Shigure hard on the head. "SHUT UP!" Shigure only laughed and rubbed his head.  
  
Hatori was the only one who looked over Tohru's shoulder and saw. Midori had crept up, her face pale as she glanced around the room.  
  
"Come in," he said.  
  
Everyone was silent, Yuki and Kyou's elbows frozen on top of Shigure's head.  
  
"Eh?" Shigure said.  
  
Tohru smiled. "Everyone, I'd like you to meet Aya Midori! I met her at the market and she said she'd have dinner with me and keep me company but now that..." Tohru trailed off. She had never seen the Souma men so stunned before nor had she seen anyone as tan as Midori become so white. Before anyone could speak, Midori was on her knees, her face low to the ground and her hands clasped tightly together.  
  
"Please forgive my curiosity! I only wanted to meet Honda-kun. I did not mean to intrude." She stopped. She had not waited to be spoken to before speaking! She was in even MORE trouble now!  
  
No one moved. No one spoke. No one breathed. No one blinked. And then someone reached down and pressed her shaking shoulder.  
  
"Midori-chan," Shigure's voice was soft and warm, "welcome to my refuge from the head of the Souma family." Midori chanced a look up and then Shigure pulled her into his lap, wrapping his thin arms around her torso. She sighed as he wiped away a tear that was slowly traveling along her jawbone.  
  
Tohru blinked twice when Shigure did not become the black dog she was used to. "But...are you part of the Souma family?"  
  
"Something like that," Hatori murmured.  
  
*****  
  
Midori could not pick up her mug. The rest of the family and Tohru was sipping their tea, watching her. Tohru's face was the very picture of confusion. Getting everyone a cup of tea had been the only thing she could think to do and now there was only silence between her and an explanation.  
  
Each man's natural scent wafted to Midori, familiar separately but mixed together somehow... different: Kyou's spicy smell, the smell of sweat and raw energy; Yuki's musky, cool, quiet scent tinged with a hint of the blood that had dried on his forehead; Shigure was earthy and full, air after the rain; Hatori, salty and dark; and little Momiji, sweet and warm like fresh cookies.  
  
Her green eyes flashed and their color deepened, a tremor went through her body. She clutched her hands into fists and rested them on her knees.  
  
Hatori lifted his eyes from the table. "Someone should explain." No one spoke up so he turned his eye to Tohru. "There are more secrets in the Souma family, very few to be proud of."  
  
Now that the explanation was coming, that someone was going to say it aloud, Midori began to shake again. 'Please don't say it,' she thought, gripping the ragged edges of her shorts. 'Just say I'm an old friend of the family!' 


End file.
